California: Ballot Initiative Transparency Act heads to governor
Ever since California’s Proposition 7 passed in 1911, state residents have had the ability to propose constitutional amendments and changes to state law through “ballot propositions.”
By paying a submission fee (currently $200) and collecting signatures from a set percentage of the number of people who last voted for governor — 5 percent for statutes, 8 percent for constitutional amendments — proponents can begin a process to get their proposition on the ballot for a direct public vote.
The ballot initiative process has resulted in several of the most controversial movements in the state — including Proposition 215 in 1996 legalizing medical marijuana and Proposition 8 in 2008 banning same-sex marriage — and it is currently poised to get an overhaul as the Ballot Initiative Transparency Act (SB-1253) authored by Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) makes its way to Gov. Jerry Brown for consideration.
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